Citric Acid in Grocery Products
Citric Acid is an MRT 176 panel substance found in 7,950 of the 20,682 products in our database. Here's every product we've analyzed that contains it.
7,950
Products Found
38.4%
Of All Products
210
Low Risk (0-2)
6,654
High Risk (5+)
Risk Distribution
How products containing Citric Acid break down by total trigger count:
210
2.6%
Low Risk (0-2 triggers)
1,086
13.7%
Moderate (3-4 triggers)
6,654
83.7%
High Risk (5+ triggers)
Citric acid is one of 27 chemical additives tested on the MRT 176 panel, and it is by far the most prevalent. We found it in 38% of all grocery products in our database — that’s nearly 8,000 items.
While citric acid occurs naturally in citrus fruits, the citric acid used in food manufacturing is almost exclusively produced through Aspergillus niger fermentation of corn sugar. This means manufactured citric acid may trigger reactions in people sensitive to corn as well as those sensitive to citric acid itself.
Citric acid is used as a preservative, pH adjuster, and flavor enhancer. It appears in beverages, canned goods, condiments, snacks, and even some fresh-cut produce. If citric acid is on your Red list, finding packaged food without it is one of the biggest challenges of the LEAP protocol.
Related Reading
- What Does “Natural Flavors” Actually Mean? — Citric acid is often hidden inside “natural flavors”
- Products with the fewest MRT triggers overall
All Products Containing Citric Acid — Page 240 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — WATERMELON JELLY BEANS, WATERMELON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1, Watermelon
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company US — KELLOGG FRUIT PIECES DISNEY DISNEY FROZEN 64OZ
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
WHOLE FOODS MARKET — JUJU STARS
Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Apple, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot, Pumpkin
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — CONDENSED SOUP, TOMATO
Tomato, Corn, Fructose, Wheat, Citric Acid, Celery, Garlic
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — SODA, ORANGE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CITRUS GREEN TEA, CITRUS
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Victoria's Kitchen Llc — Organic Lemonade
Lemon, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Ginger, Chili Pepper, Capsaicin
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — CREAMY JALAPENO HOT SAUCE, CREAMY JALAPENO
Chili Pepper, Canola/Rapeseed, Onion, Corn, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc. — BERRY MEDLEY FRUIT ICE BARS, BERRY MEDLEY
Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Raspberry, Blueberry, Lemon, Carob, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
GENERAL MILLS SALES INC. — Old El Paso Thick 'N Chunky Mild Salsa
Tomato, Onion, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Coriander/Cilantro, Citric Acid, Lemon
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — TOMATO CONDENSED SOUP
Tomato, Corn, Fructose, Wheat, Citric Acid, Celery, Garlic
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PINK LEMONADE SOUR STICKS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Wheat, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Sunflower, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
STEVE'S & ED'S BBQ WING SAUCE, 12 OZ
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Corn, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Yoplait USA — PUMPKIN CARAMEL DAIRY FREE COCONUT DAIRY ALTERNATIVE, PUMPKIN CARAMEL
Coconut, Cane Sugar, Pumpkin, Tapioca, Citric Acid, Cinnamon, Nutmeg
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Russ Davis Wholesale — HOT & SPICY GUACAMOLE, HOT & SPICY
Avocado, Onion, Chili Pepper, Coriander/Cilantro, Garlic, Lime, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — VEGETABLE BROTH
Carrot, Celery, Onion, Cane Sugar, Corn, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — BERRY BLUE, ISLAND PINEAPPLE GELATIN DESSERT JIGGLERS MOLD KIT, BERRY BLUE, ISLAND PINEAPPLE
Cane Sugar, Beef, Pork, Citric Acid, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — MEDIUM SALSA, MEDIUM
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Celery, Coriander/Cilantro, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Company — EVERYTHING RICE CAKES, EVERYTHING
Rice, Corn, Sunflower, Onion, Garlic, Sesame, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Tony Chachere's Creole Foods of Opelousas Inc. — Tony Chachere's Brown Gravy 5oz.
Wheat, Soybean, Corn, Onion, Garlic, Beef, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — GREEN APPLE SODA, GREEN APPLE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — NEONS GUMMIES CANDY, BOLD BERRY, ORANGE POP, PINK PUNCH, CHERRY LIME SPLASH, ELECTRIC LEMONADE
Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #6
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
La Victoria Foods Inc. — RED TACO SAUCE
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Capsaicin, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — ICE CUBES SUGAR FREE GUM, ARCTIC GRAPE
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Corn, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — ICE CUBES SUGAR FREE GUM, BLACK CHERRY
Aspartame, Blue #1, Citric Acid, Corn, FD&C Red #40, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
Search Any Product
Check any grocery product against the full MRT 176 panel — not just Citric Acid.
Open the Food Checker